Zimba Women

What Zimba Women does

Zimba Women is a Kampala, Uganda-based nonprofit organization (founded by Sherifah Tumusiime, who serves as Chief Hustler / CEO) that operates a multi-program ecosystem supporting women entrepreneurs and female-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across East Africa, with primary operations in Uganda and outreach to Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. The organization delivers its services through interconnected programs: Zimba Mart (a proprietary e-commerce platform hosting approximately 100 female-owned businesses and providing custom software for entrepreneurs to build online stores), the Business Training Programme (a 4-month blended learning program built on the Funzi Founder 101 Hub curriculum covering founder mindset, product development, sales/marketing, management, and finance, delivered in partnership with Innovation Village and Funzi), the year-long Mentorship Program (technology-enabled mentor/mentee matching via video chat and collaborative projects), the Zimba Women SACCO (savings and credit cooperative with a UGX 15,000 one-time membership fee and UGX 50,000 per-share pricing), the #HerDigitalFutureUG digital literacy initiative targeting 1,400+ rural and sub-urban women across seven districts, and the annual Zimba Summits drawing 300-370+ delegates from four East African countries.

The technology stack consists of a custom-built e-commerce platform, the Zimba website, branded social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram), and digital mentorship / training delivery tools. Cumulative program reach includes 15,850 women trained on digital skills, 759 businesses impacted, 232 girls mentored, and 38 business-centered events hosted. Revenue mechanics are diversified across three streams: marketplace commissions from Zimba Mart, subscription/recurring SACCO membership and share purchases, and professional-services fees for business development training. The organization's primary strategic financial partnership is with Mastercard Foundation and NSSF Uganda as an implementing hub of the Hi-Innovator Program (2023), alongside co-development partners Innovation Village, Funzi, Deloitte East Africa, and the International Trade Centre, with government engagement through UIA, URA, and US Missions Uganda.

Name

Zimba Women

Legal name

Zimba Women

Website

https://zimbawomen.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Zimba Women is a Kampala, Uganda-based nonprofit founded by Sherifah Tumusiime that supports women entrepreneurs and female-led SMEs across East Africa through the Zimba Mart e-commerce platform, entrepreneurship training (Funzi-based), a mentorship program, a savings cooperative (SACCO), and annual summits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Entrepreneurship Support

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business (EDAMAHAI), Marketing, Branding & Sales Skills (EDAMAHAG), Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance (EDAMAHAE), Business Law, Ethics & Compliance (Contracts, IP Basics) (EDAMAHAL), Career Exploration & Industry Exposure (Guest Speakers, Company Visits) (EDAMAHAJ)

Keywords

• Women entrepreneurship
• E-commerce marketplace
• Digital literacy training
• Business mentorship
• Savings cooperative

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Platform Commissions: Zimba Mart generates revenue by hosting women-owned businesses on its platform, providing exposure to local and international markets along with digitization support services.
2. SACCO Membership and Shares: Zimba Women SACCO charges a one-time membership fee of UGX 15,000 and share value of UGX 50,000 per share. Members can access savings accounts, lower-interest loans, and annual dividends.
3. Business Development Training Programs: Fee-based entrepreneurship training programs delivered in partnership with Innovation Village and Funzi, including the Next Wave Project focusing on youth employment and women empowerment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Zimba Women operates a women entrepreneurship support ecosystem that delivers a proprietary e-commerce marketplace (Zimba Mart) for female-owned SMEs, blended-learning entrepreneurship training, a year-long technology-enabled mentorship program, a savings and credit cooperative (SACCO), digital literacy training for rural women, and annual summits. The combination provides women entrepreneurs in Uganda with market access, business and digital skills, capital access, mentorship, and networking opportunities.

Product overview

Zimba Women operates as a women-focused entrepreneurship support organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include: Zimba Mart (e-commerce platform enabling women to build and manage online stores), Zimba Women Business Training Programme (blended learning entrepreneurship training), Zimba Mentorship Program (year-long mentorship with technology-enabled engagement), Zimba Women Sacco (financial cooperative for savings and loans), and #HerDigitalFutureUG (digital literacy training for rural women). Additional programs cover ICT adoption support, economic empowerment, and annual Zimba Summits (conferences drawing 300+ women entrepreneurs). The organization provides tools, technology platforms, business training, mentorship, and networks to improve livelihoods for women in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Uganda.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zimba Mart: Online e-commerce platform intended to support female-oriented Small Medium Enterprises in Uganda by exposing them to a local and international online market.

Products and services

• Zimba Mart E-commerce Platform An online e-commerce marketplace that supports female-oriented SMEs in Uganda by exposing them to local and international markets. Women entrepreneurs can build and manage their own online stores using Zimba Women's custom e-commerce software. Currently hosts 100 female-owned businesses.
• Zimba Women Business Training Programme Entrepreneurship training program using the Funzi Founder 101 Hub blended learning approach combining mobile courses with on-site training sessions. The 4-month curriculum covers modules including The Founder, The Inventor, The Salesman, The Manager, and The Banker to build entrepreneurial skills and growth mindset. Targeted at women entrepreneurs in Uganda.
• Zimba Women Mentorship Program A year-long mentorship program that matches successful women and men with ambitious women and girls. Uses technology including video chat to enable mentors and mentees to build bonds, collaborate on projects, and brainstorm solutions. Emphasizes leadership, professional, personal, and emotional development.
• Zimba Women SACCO A Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) providing savings accounts, loans at lower interest than banks, annual dividends, and retirement savings options for women members. One-time non-refundable membership fee of UGX 15,000 with shares at UGX 50,000 each.
• #HerDigitalFutureUG Digital Literacy Program Digital literacy project targeting women in rural and sub-urban areas, focusing on increasing ICT uptake, raising awareness about smartphone necessity, and reducing digital illiteracy. Aims to train over 1,400 women across seven districts with customized content for church congregations, SACCOs, and business associations.
• Zimba Annual Summits Annual technology-for-business summits bringing together women entrepreneurs, business women, government officials, and distinguished guests. Events feature interactive learning sessions, workshops, exhibitions, business-to-business matchmaking, and pitch competitions. Previous summits drew over 300-370 participants from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,850 women trained on digital skills
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deloitte East AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeloitte provides expertise through speakers at Zimba Summits (Kenneth Legesi, Manager Corporate Finance; Mabel Ndawula, Innovation and Strategy Partner) and supports business development training programs.
• International Trade CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITC partners on trade development and promotion, with Patricia Russ from ITC moderating sessions at Zimba Summits and working on projects boosting export competitiveness of women-owned SMEs.
• Innovation VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Innovation Village is a key co-development partner executing the Next Wave Project with Zimba Women, focusing on youth employment and supporting women-owned businesses in Uganda through business development services.
• FunzicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunzi coordinates implementation of the business development training program using the Funzi Founder 101 Hub blended learning platform, providing mobile courses and on-site training sessions for women entrepreneurs.
• US Missions UgandaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUS Missions Uganda partners with Zimba Women, with the US Embassy providing remarks at Zimba Women Business For Technology Summits.
• Uganda Investment AuthorityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUIA partners through participation at summits, with Director Basil Ajer providing insights on SME development and government support for women entrepreneurs.
• Uganda Revenue AuthorityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerURA partners through participation at summits, with Commissioner Customs Dickson Kateshumbwa sharing insights on trade facilitation and revenue matters for SMEs.
• Blue Number FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Number Foundation partners with Zimba Women to support women entrepreneurs through identification and digital identity systems.
• Andela UgandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndela Uganda participates through operations manager Maria Kyamulabye speaking at summits on technology and women empowerment.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Acumen: Acumen is a global impact organization investing in early-stage enterprises serving the poor, with active East Africa operations including entrepreneurship and women-focused programs; comparable as a mission-aligned entrepreneurship support funder/operator, though at much greater scale and scope.
• Village Capital: Village Capital runs entrepreneurship support programs (training, peer mentorship, investor matchmaking) with operations in East Africa including Uganda; comparable as an entrepreneurship development platform but operates across sectors and geographies rather than women-only.
• Tony Elumelu Foundation: The Tony Elumelu Foundation runs one of Africa's largest entrepreneurship empowerment programs (training, mentorship, seed capital) across the continent; it operates at far greater scale than Zimba Women but addresses the same African SME/entrepreneurship development category.

Direct peers

• Outbox Uganda: Outbox is a Kampala-based entrepreneurship hub supporting young African founders through training, mentorship, and incubation — directly comparable to Zimba Women in mission (African entrepreneurship development) and geography (Uganda), though Outbox is broader (youth) versus Zimba's women-only focus.
• SheCodes: SheCodes provides technology and entrepreneurship training programs targeted at women globally, with a model combining workshops, mentorship, and ongoing community — closely comparable to Zimba Women's training-plus-mentorship-plus-community stack for women.
• Anzisha Prize: The Anzisha Prize supports very young African entrepreneurs through training, mentorship, and prize capital; comparable as an African entrepreneurship development platform with similar training + mentorship + community model, though focused on age rather than gender.
• Women in Tech Uganda: Women in Tech Uganda is a women-in-technology community organization running training, mentorship, and events; directly comparable mission and Uganda geography — Zimba Women has actually won their WIT Challenge Entrepreneur Award, evidencing close ecosystem proximity.

Others

• Innovation Village: Innovation Village is a Ugandan innovation and entrepreneurship hub that is also a core implementation partner of Zimba Women (Next Wave Project); relevant as an adjacent ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor.
• Funzi: Funzi is a mobile learning platform that powers Zimba Women's Founder101 Hub blended training program; included as an adjacent technology/curriculum enabler rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• GrowthHub Africa: GrowthHub Africa provides entrepreneurship training and SME development programs across multiple African markets; comparable as an African SME training organization, though operating more broadly rather than targeting women exclusively.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ZimbaWomen
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2R1MF021EBHzwzXpR0auyg
• Facebookfacebook.com/zimbawomen
• Instagraminstagram.com/zimbawomen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zimba-group-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zimba Women